Life is complicated
by scrappyismine
Summary: Peter is back again, now a Freshmen in High School. Life is always wild in the Hatcher household with a seven year old brother and a three year old sister about but now life will be even more hectic... can Peter deal with this new life?Haven't read Double


"Pete?"

I looked up from my desk where I had been studying for a science test that I would have the next day, to see my seven year old brother Fudge (His real name is Farley Drexel) standing in the door way of my room, holding a piece of paper.

"Fudge, I told you that I didn't want to be disturbed tonight. I have a very important test tomorrow."

"But I have a very important test tomorrow too, can you help me?" He asked.

"Can't you ask mom or dad?" I asked feeling frustrated.

It was always this way, every time Fudge wanted to do something or needed help he would always come to me. I already knew what his answer would be before I had asked him 'only babies ask mom and dad for help.' I waited for him to say it, but instead he just stared at me before coming over to me.

"I can't, they are having a very important conversation," He answered. "I like when you help me, please."

"Fudge, this is my first test as a freshmen," I replied. "I want to do well on it. Besides, a test in the third grade can't be that important."

Fudge had started kindergarten when he was four because my parents believed he was smart enough, so he was a year younger which I do admit now (I couldn't back then) that he was indeed very smart. He had been at the top of his class the past two years and also a major nuisance to his teachers. I didn't understand how he did it, most class clowns in the class didn't have very good marks but Fudge while he goofed off was also the smartest in his class.

"It's the first spelling test of the year. Mrs. Holkin told us that we would be put in levels depending on how we do." Fudge said.

"You're good at spelling," I told him. "Now please-"

"If you help me study I'll tell you what mom and dad are talking about." Fudge interrupted.

I sighed and stared at the determination on his face. I was interested in knowing what they were talking about, Fudge was at good at listening in on my parents conversations. When I was younger I use to try and listen in, but they would always catch me. I could always get an earful from Fudge, he always used this to bribe me into getting what he wanted. He could see that I was going to give in because he grinned, showing me his recently lost tooth. For years he had his two front teeth missing because when he was about three he had tried to fly like a bird off the climbers, but they had finally grown in.

"Fine, but you have to promise to leave me alone for the rest of the night." I answered. "What are they talking about?"

"Mom is going to have another baby so they want to move out of the apartments and into a house." Fudge said quickly.

I stared at him, hoping he was joking. It was like I had gone back three years to when I was eleven and my parents were telling me that they were having another baby. I had been so angry that night, thoughts of another baby wailing, another Fudge... I had almost run away that night. My baby sister was born, who turned out to be a nice baby to have around but then my parents decided that we were going to move to Princeton for the year and I had almost run away again.

They couldn't be having another baby, the past three years had been peaceful. Fudge, who was still a monster wasn't nearly as bad as he had been and Tootsie (her real name is Tamara Roxanne) was a quiet little girl, she was shy and liked to keep to herself. I couldn't deal with having another baby wailing at night. When Tootsie was born, Fudge went through a stage where he wanted to be a baby again which was a nightmare. What if Tootsie who was my fathers little girl did the same? What if Fudge went through some other stage?

"You're joking right?" I asked, hoping because he had said that so casually.

"Nope. They were just talking about how they should tell us and they are worried about you." Fudge replied.

"Me? Because I am fourteen so mom shouldn't be having another baby?" I asked.

"No, because you were going to run away when they told you about Tootsie." Fudge answered. "They're afraid you might be angry about the move and the baby."

"I can't deal with another baby." I said more to myself. "And I am not moving, I grew up in this apartment."

"I like Henry and the elevator but I liked it when we lived in Millie and Georges house. I like houses much better, my friend Jonathan has a huge house." Fudge said.

I ignored him, I slammed my science book shut and got up to go see my parents. I wasn't going to try and run away this time... not yet anyway, I wanted to reason with them first. Of course I knew I wouldn't be able to stop the baby from coming but my parents had to understand that we could not move out of the apartment. Fudge followed me.

"You're not running away again?" He asked. "Hey, did you try and run away when you found out about me?"

"Fudge. Go away." I exclaimed.

"Did you try and run away when you found out about me?" He asked again.

"No."

"What did you do then?" He asked.

Despite the fact that I wanted to yell at my parents, I couldn't help stopping to remember when I found out about Fudge. I was six years old when my parents told me that he would be born and seven when he was born. I had just come home from my first day of the first grade when they dad sat me on his lap to tell me.

"Petey, soon you are going to have new play mate." He said.

"Not Sheila Tubman?" I asked. "I don't want anymore play dates with her daddy, she told everyone at school that we are getting married."

Sheila Tubman was a girl that lived in my apartment building, when I was younger I couldn't stand her but she's grown on me over the years. We probably would never be best friends or anything but we didn't hate each other anymore. Fudge thinks that _he_ will marry her some day.

"Now Petey, Sheila is a nice little girl." Mom answered coming into the living room with a plate of crackers. "No, this isn't a new friend. I've having a baby, you are going to have a new little brother or sister."

"You're having a baby?" I asked.

I wasn't happy about having a new brother or sister. Friends of mine from school who had new brothers or sisters were always complaining about how they got into their things. Sheila often complained that her older sister bossed her around and a boy named Patrick complained that his baby sister was always biting his toys. I had been at friends places where toddlers lived and I'd seen for myself that baby brothers and sisters were pests.

I didn't try and run away though, I stopped talking all together. I ignored everyone at school and my parents, I remember my mother was always calling our family doctor seeing if she could get help. I remember her telling my dad that they should put me in counseling but my father put his foot down.

"There is nothing wrong with him dear, he is just going through a phase. Once the new baby gets here he'll be fine."

My father was wrong about that, Fudge was a major nightmare the first four years of his life. He swallowed my turtle, smeared mash potatoes on the wall at Hamburger Heaven, threw tantrums at stores, run away... and a long list of other incidents. Remembering Fudges first few years of life brought me back to reality and I turned away from without answering his question.

I headed to the living-room with Fudge hurrying at my heels. Tootsie was playing quietly on the floor with some dolls. She smiled when she saw Fudge and I enter the room before looking back at her dolls.

"Please tell me that you are not having another baby." I demanded.

Mom and dad looked at each other before looking at Fudge. I hoped that he would start laughing and would tell me that he was joking, I wouldn't be angry with him, maybe I would even laugh. He did that a lot, he would tell me something off the wall and when I asked my parents about it, he would start laughing his head off.

"How much did you hear Fudge?" Dad asked.

"That you want us to move so it won't be so crowded." Fudge said.

"Then it is true?' I exclaimed. "You are having another baby and you are going to force me to move out of the apartment that I have spent thirteen years of my life in?"

"Yes, it's true. Peter, the apartment is too small for even five people. We've been planning on moving for awhile now and with a new baby, we have even more reason to." Mom answered.

"You do this to me all the time! You never tell me _anything_! You could have mentioned that you wanted to move. How long have you known about this baby? You waited four months with Tootsie." I knew it had to a while, my mother did look pregnant. I wasn't sure why I hadn't noticed before. Probably because I had thought she was done with having more babies.

"Only two months this time. We didn't tell you because there were complications in the beginning. That's why I have been so sick, we were afraid that I would lose the baby. There is still the risk but not so much anymore. The baby will be here in December."

"So you're six months pregnant, right?" Fudge asked. "It's nine months before you have a baby, right?"

"How could you have not noticed the first four months?" I asked her.

"This pregnancy was different from the last three, it's been more complicated dear." Mom answered. "Please try to be more understanding dear. We think we have found a house, but we want to make sure the three of you like it first. If you don't like it, we can keep looking but we're hoping to find one before the baby gets here."

"Do I even get a say in whether or not we move at all?" I asked.

"Peter." Dad said sternly. "It's going to be too crowded in a two bedroom apartment for six people, Fudge's and Tootsie's rooms aren't even bedrooms. We are looking at four bedroom houses."

"If you think that I am sharing a room with Fudge-" I began.

"You and Fudge will get your own rooms." Mom interrupted. "The baby is a girl, she'll sleep in our room for the first six months or so before we put her in with Tootsie."

"We are even going to let you boys help name here." Dad said. "You can let us know what names you like or don't like."

"What's the point?" I asked. "You'll never use her real name. You never call Fudge or Tootsie by their real names. They are so use to those nick names that they throw fits if you call them by their real names."

"Peter, please." Dad said.

I was so use to some saying 'Peter please' that I didn't have to ask what it meant. It always meant, 'please be quiet,' 'please be more understanding,' 'please just do as your told.' this time that was telling me to be more understanding.

"The teacher at school calls me Fudge but I have to write my real name on my work." Fudge said. "So I use my real name sometimes."

"You're not helping." I told him.

"Whether you accept it or not, we are moving and a new baby is coming Peter." Dad continued. "So please, if you are thinking about running away or giving the silent treatment realize now that it isn't going to work. I know you are angry right now, but I saw you react like this when Tootsie was born and I know you'll love the new baby."

"I'm never going to love moving to a new house." I said. "Ever."

I turned and stormed out of the living room. Fudge started to call after me but I heard dad call him back. I headed to my room and slammed the door where the old map of the world fell of my wall, something that happened so much. I didn't know why I even bothered hanging it up anymore. I lay down on my bed and contemplated running away. What was the point? I was old enough to know that my parents would just come and get me. I saw myself in the future where I wouldn't have any fun at all. My entire time would be spent babysitting three little monsters, my teen years would be boring, I wouldn't be spending them with my friends.

A/n: I'm not sure if this chapter seemed pointless or not. They will get more interesting but this was more of a introductory chapter to give information. The chapters will have more story to them once I get going.

Please review.


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